Revolutionary War

War Beginning Both sides thought the war would be short –British thought they would immediately crush the Patriots –The Patriots thought that the British would give up after a few battles

Advantages British Strongest navy Experienced, well-trained army Money More people Loyalists African American and Native American help –Less threatened –Better chance of freedom Patriots Fighting on own ground Protecting all they own Freedom was at stake George Washington was in charge Foreign help –Spain –France Inspired by Thomas Paine –Common Sense

Disadvantages Patriots No regular army or navy Inexperienced soldiers –Primarily volunteers –Lacked training –Short enlistment terms Lacking supplies –Weapons and ammo –Food –Clothing, socks, and shoes Low morale British Unfamiliar with terrain Headquarters 3000 miles away Mercenaries fought for money Uniforms easy to see and shoot at

Loyalists Left the British colonies –Fighting against the British would be treason –Frightened by the colonial threats

Lexington and Concord 49 minutemen died 73 British soldiers died

Fort Ticonderoga On Lake Champlain May 10, 1775 Led by Ethan Allan Green Mountain Boys Patriots successfully captured the fort –A few days later captured Crown Point Prompted the Patriots to invade Canada –Failed and wilthdrew by the spring of 1776

Battle of Bunker Hill 2200 British vs Patriots Fought north of Boston –Patriots dug in and waited “to see the whites of their eyes.” One of the bloodiest battles –British lost 1,000+ –Americans lost 441 Residents of Boston watched from their rooftops Patriots forced to retreat (British won) Showed the British the war would not be easy to win

Battle of Long Island Late August 1776 Patriots (Americans/Colonists) were outnumbered –32,000 British vs 20,000 Americans –Lost again Inexperienced and walked into a trap Nathan Hale –Hung as a spy –“I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” British wanted New York 1.Good harbor 2.By controlling NYC and the Hudson River they could divide the colonies and it would be easier to conquer –British controlled NYC the rest of the war By late September 1776, the Revolutionary War was looking like a lost cause

Major Battles of the Revolution Trenton and Princeton Saratoga Yorktown

Battle of Trenton, New Jersey Americans were discouraged –Lost battle after battle British army settled for the winter –Most of the troops in NYC –Some in Trenton and some in Princeton Washington and his troops were across the Delaware River –Surprised the British on Christmas night, 1776 –Captured 900+ Hessians –45 minutes –4 Patriots wounded –2 froze to death

Battle at Princeton 1 week after Trenton Washington quietly attacked British troops Patriots caused heavy damage Forced British out of New Jersey TRENTON AND PRINCETON BOOSTED MORAL, GAVE AMERICANS HOPE, AND CONVINCED MANY TO ENLIST

Saratoga What was supposed to happen (British Plan) Albany,NY Burgoyne from Canada St. Leger from Ontario Howe from New York City

Saratoga What actually happened: 1.Howe spent the winter in Philadelphia 2.St. Leger was forced to retreat by Benedict Arnold 3.Burgoyne traveled too slowly Defeated by the Green Mountain Boys Colonists won –British outnumbered 3:1 –Trapped with no food –Forced to surrender (October 1777) Turning Point of the Revolution Victory convinced the French to support the colonists –Ben Franklin instrumental in winning their support –Followed by Spain and the Netherlands

The War Moves West and South Most of the fighting involved Native Americans who sided with the British –Chief Joseph Brant Mohawk New York and Pennsylvania –George Rogers Clark Brother of William Clark (Lewis and Clark) Patriot commander in the west Captured Vincennes and Kaskaskia –Indiana and Illinois

War at Sea British frequently used blockades American navy weak –2 nd Continental Congress hired privateers John Paul Jones –Commander of the Bonhomme Richard Defeated British Serapis One of the most courageous naval commanders in the Revolution

War in the South Less patriot support Used guerilla warfare (hit and run)

Yorktown Cornwallis is cut off from supplies Surrounded by the French and patriots Forced to surrender Ended the Revolutionary War

Treaty of Paris Signed September 3, 1783 Formally recognized US as an independent nation Terms: –US claimed lands from the Atlantic to the Mississippi and from Canada to Spanish Florida Florida returned to Spain –Britain would withdraw all of its troop –America claimed fishing rights off of Canada –Americans had to pay debts to British merchants –Loyalists got back property taken from them –US and Britain could use the Mississippi for trade